by Eric Vall
“First, we go back to the castle,” I decided. “We can update Lord Vallen and figure out the best way to find the rest of the bandits together.”
“Fine,” Naomi pouted as she stomped toward the ladder, and then we all climbed down to the ground where the rest of my group had gathered.
“What happened?” Aaliyah asked. “We must have missed the fight since the storm stopped.”
“Ugh, we missed sexy badass dragon time,” Trina huffed.
“Yeah, we love seeing you kick ass,” Polina said and poked out her bottom lip.
“Not fair,” Marina added and crossed her arms.
“We handled it pretty quickly,” I chuckled. “Ravi can update you on what happened. I need to make a quick stop, and then I’ll meet you at the castle.”
“What could possibly be more important than finding these bandits?” Naomi hissed.
“Come with me.” I shrugged as I turned and began to walk. “You can find out for yourself.”
The lizard mage narrowed her amber eyes and huffed before she jogged to catch up with me.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“You’ll see,” I replied with a smile.
We walked down the main road through town before I veered off to the left into the neighborhood of small huts. We stopped at the third house down, and Naomi eyed me curiously as I knocked on the door.
Two sets of small feet pounded to the door and whipped it open.
“Hello,” Luna said shyly.
“Children, who is it?” I heard their mother call out before she joined them at the door. “May I help you?”
The children’s mother was likely a beautiful lizard Demi-Human at one point in time, but now she looked exhausted. Her pale skin had purple bags under her eyes, and wrinkles creased her forehead as her yellow eyes studied me with confusion.
“I’m sorry, I look a little different in my human form,” I chuckled. “My name is Lord Evan. I was here earlier and--
“Lord Dragon!” Astro cried out. “You came back!”
The boy bounced back and forth on his feet, and his little black ponytail swayed from one shoulder to the other as he moved.
“I’m sorry I had to rush off like that,” I said. “But I had to stop the bad guys, and look, now the rain is gone.”
“Yes, thanks to you, I presume?” their mother asked with a twinkle in her eyes.
“I’m just glad I could help,” I replied. “If it’s alright with you, I’d like to take Luna and Astro on the ride I promised.”
Naomi raised a magenta eyebrow but said nothing.
“Please, mother!” Luna squealed and tugged at her mother’s dress.
“Oh, please, let us go!” Astro begged.
“Is it safe?” A worried frown creased the older lizard’s face as she looked me up and down.
“I won’t let anything happen to them,” I promised as I put up two fingers. “Dragon’s honor.”
“Okay,” their mother chuckled. “One ride.”
“Yay!” the children cheered as they sprinted outside.
“Stay by the door for a moment,” I directed them as I backed up toward the road to give myself plenty of room.
I looked over at Naomi and winked as I shifted into my dragon form. She rolled her eyes, and I saw the hint of a smile before she walked over to stand by the children’s mother with her arms crossed.
“Ready?” I grinned and returned my gaze to Astro and Luna. “Hop on my back and hang on tight to a spike.”
Astro lifted his sister on first and then climbed up behind her. The two little lizards gripped my spikes tightly, and I slowly rose from the ground and flapped my wings to lift us into the air. Now that the storm had stopped, the air was warm, though a little humid, and the fierce winds from before were now gentle breezes that cooled us off as we climbed up higher into the sky.
The children squealed and held on even tighter as I glided over the houses and around the neighborhood. I took them on a loop around the entire city, and I could see the sun was slowly drying the Oleum spell. Only a few large puddles of the oil spots remained, and many of the Demi-Humans were outside trying to cover the rest with sand, but the black rivers that had poured through the streets less than an hour ago had soaked into the ground and disappeared.
Suddenly, I had an idea, and I angled our flight path to go to the market. The lizards had pushed their carts back into the open, and many of them were setting their wares up for sale again, including a few carts with flowers in their displays.
Perfect.
I swooped down and came to a soft landing near where I’d found the children before.
“Where is the flower cart you mentioned earlier?” I asked as I craned my neck around to the brother and sister on my back.
“Right over there!” Astro replied as he pointed to the first cart at the edge of the market.
The lizard Demi-Human at the cart stared at us in amazement, and then he seemed to recognize the children and offered them a small wave.
“Okay, go grab your flowers, and we’ll take them back to your mom,” I said.
“Mama will be so happy!” Luna squeaked as she slid down my scales and ran toward the cart.
Astro followed after her, and they returned within minutes with a huge bunch of blue and yellow flowers in an array of shapes and sizes. The sweet-smelling bouquet was wrapped in burlap with a pink ribbon tied around the middle, and Luna gripped the flowers like a vise as Astro lifted her onto my back again.
“Aren’t they pretty, Lord Dragon?” Luna squealed.
“Almost as pretty as you,” I replied with a grin.
The girl giggled and squeezed my spike as her brother joined her.
After he clambered up to his seat, I lifted into the air again and lazily glided back to their neighborhood.
I’d barely landed on the sand in front of their home when they slid off my back and sprinted toward their mother as I shifted back into my human form. She and Naomi stood together as the children presented the flowers to her.
“Oh, these are wonderful!” their mother said with a grin.
“That’s why we were out early, Mama,” Luna explained. “We were supposed to get these for you, but the scary storm came.”
“My sweet children, you didn’t have to do that,” she replied as tears welled up in her eyes.
“We wanted to surprise you,” Astro said as he hugged her. “You always take good care of us.”
“I love you both,” their mother murmured before she looked up at me. “Thank you, Lord Evan. I don’t know how to repay you.”
“No need to worry about that,” I replied with a wave of my hand. “I don’t want my people to fear me, so if anyone asks about me, you just tell them I care for you and your children. That is all I ask.”
“I will tell everyone I know,” she said with a curtsy.
“We need to get back to the castle,” I told her. “But if you need anything, please come and find me.”
“Of course, my lord,” the lizard mother answered with a smile and turned to Naomi. “My lady.”
“See you around, kids,” I said as I ruffled Astro’s hair.
“Bye, Lord Dragon! Bye, Lady Naomi!” Astro laughed as he pushed my hand away.
“Thank you!” Luna said and grinned while she waved.
We waved and began the short walk back to the castle.
I could practically hear the lizard mage’s wheels turning as she thought about what had just happened.
“Those flowers were beautiful,” Naomi murmured. “Their mother was so happy. That was nice of you.”
“It was what the kids wanted to do for her,” I answered and shrugged. “It seemed important to them, so I wanted to help. I also kind of have a soft spot for kids.”
“I’ve never known a man to be so kind, especially to children,” she said as she avoided my gaze. “And without expecting anything in return.”
“I told you,” I chuckled. “You hadn’t met the right kind
of man--err--dragon. Now, you have.”
A flicker of heat whispered through my body as Naomi looked straight into my eyes. Her mouth opened ever so slightly, and my blood rushed south at the look in her amber eyes.
Then she tucked a lock of magenta hair behind her ear and jogged ahead to go inside the castle, and she passed the guards outside without a word.
I chuckled again as I walked in behind her and found Lord Vallen inside with the rest of my group, and the lizard leader paced back and forth as he listened to Ravi replay our rooftop battle.
“So, all of the bandits are dead?” he asked with his hands clasped together hopefully.
“Only the ones causing the storm, unfortunately,” I answered. “The last mage on the roof told us there were more, but he jumped before we could find out anything more. It sounds like the bandits really want that relic.”
“For what?” he gasped. “Why is it worth all this trouble?”
“Profit,” Laika huffed. “They don’t care who they sell it to as long as they get paid for it.”
“This level of greed is dangerous,” Miraya warned. “Especially at this time of turmoil within our country.”
“Yes, with the Breach open, anyone who knows the Sundex’s purpose could become a threat,” Alyona added.
“So, how do we find the others?” Vallen asked with a worried frown.
“Well, you’ll have to help us with that,” I answered. “Where could a group like that be hiding?”
“Oh, gods, any number of places,” he groaned and furrowed his brow. “They have magic.”
“That’s true,” Naomi agreed. “Even if we only searched the places we can think of, they could be using magic to conceal themselves further.”
“Do you think they have more mages than we’ve already seen?” Ravi wondered.
“I’m sure,” I grunted. “They can’t get to the Sundex without magic. They had to have figured that out already, but with the storm spell, they had to be out in the open. Now, they could be hiding anywhere.”
“If their goal is the Sundex, maybe we should put a guard there,” Nike suggested. “Then we can search aboveground and keep the relic safe in the meantime.”
“Good idea,” I agreed. “Lord Vallen, can you arrange for that?”
“I’ll have to accompany the guard,” Naomi interjected. “I told you, I’m the only one who can get to the Sundex.”
“Would you consider copying the memory to one guard?” Alyona asked. “We could really use your magical knowledge here while we try to find where and how the bandits are hiding.”
“Who could I possibly trust?” the lizard mage hissed.
“What about Abel?” Vallen asked. “He’s been a loyal guard for years, and he was basically raised within the castle.”
“True… ” Naomi murmured as she brushed her fingers through her hair nervously.
“We need someone there,” I insisted. “And we need you here.”
“Fine,” she finally answered.
“Abel!” Vallen screeched.
I would never get used to his quirks.
Abel rushed into the room from the front door and bowed to Lord Vallen.
“We need you to stand guard at the Sundex,” the lizard leader ordered. “I think we should have another guard accompany him, right, Lord Evan?”
“Yes, though only Abel needs to know the path,” I agreed. “Sound good, Naomi?”
“I suppose,” she grumbled.
Abel nodded and jogged back out the door, and then he came back in with another guard. The second lizard looked as young as Abel, but he was not as tall, and his scales were a dark brown color and thicker across the exposed part of his neck. His turban was royal blue, and it wrapped around his head neatly as he stood before us with a solemn expression.
“Lord Evan, this is Maze,” Abel introduced the other warrior.
“Maze, a fitting name for someone about to guard part of the catacombs,” I chuckled. “Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise, my lord,” Maze replied with a dip of his head.
“Let’s get this over with,” Naomi mumbled as she stepped forward and placed her hand on Abel’s forehead.
She muttered a few words, and a dark glow emanated from her palm against the lizard warrior’s skin. Then Abel blinked a few times and stepped back.
“What an odd feeling,” he said with amazement. “The path is just there. I can remember it clear as day, though I’ve never been there.”
“You know what to look for, though, right?” I asked and grew concerned that the plan wouldn’t work if he didn’t know what to protect.
“Yes, I included an image of the Sundex and how to open the pedestal in his memory,” Naomi replied. “I knew he had never seen the relic.”
“Good thinking,” I said with a smile. “Do you have any questions, Abel?”
“We’re going to protect it from anyone, right?” he asked.
“Yes, no one should be trying to remove it,” I said. “If that changes, you’ll hear it from me or Lord Vallen.”
“Of course, my lord,” Abel replied.
Then he and Maze turned and headed for the door down the hall that would lead them into the treasure-filled catacombs.
“I need to know how to make one of those magical messengers,” Naomi declared as she stared at me.
“Okay,” I chuckled. “You already know how to cultivate, so it shouldn’t be too difficult for you.”
“I’ve never seen a spell for it, so I’ve never tried,” she replied.
“Fair enough,” I said with a shrug as I thought back to when Tristan, my grandfather, had shown me how to create my little dragon. “Right now, you try to control your magic, but you have to let it take its own form to build your messenger. You don’t have to imagine what form it takes, it will do that on its own. Just picture a bit of your magic outside your body and let it form.”
Naomi squeezed her eyes shut and nearly shook with her efforts before she finally grunted. “It’s not working!”
“You’re trying way too hard,” I explained. “It’s not a spell you use your magic to cast. It’s a release of some of your magic into a physical form. Then you ask it to do what you want. Hold your hand out and relax. Picture your magic sitting on your palm.”
The lizard mage took a deep breath and lifted her hands with her palms exposed. She closed her eyes and took a few more slow breaths before a small black spark erupted on her palm. She gasped in surprise, and then the spark leapt to the floor in a wisp of gray smoke. The smoke billowed out before it disappeared, and in its place was a smoky lizard. It was bigger than I’d expected, more like a Komodo dragon than the tiny desert lizards I’d seen before.
Naomi looked down at the reptile with her mouth hanging open as it rubbed around her ankles like a cat. Then it looked up at her and flicked its forked tongue as it waited patiently for her instructions.
“Now, tell it who to go to and what you want it to say,” I instructed her. “It will follow your every command.”
“Okay, I’ll test it,” she said uncertainly and looked directly at the lizard. “Go to Lord Vallen and tell him to come see me.”
The lizard dipped its head and scuttled across the room to Vallen. Then it sat back on its hindlegs and opened its mouth. As Naomi’s message projected from its open mouth, both of the lizard Demi-Humans’ eyes widened.
“It worked,” Naomi breathed as the lizard finished its message and then disappeared in a smoky poof, and the mage was nearly bouncing up and down as she summoned another lizard.
“What do you want to use it for?” I asked with curiosity.
“I want it to be able to let us know if the guards run into any trouble in the catacombs,” she replied. “I’m sure they would tell us if something happened, but I have a feeling.”
“Don’t dismiss your feelings,” Alyona advised. “You should do whatever you feel is right.”
“I’ll send the lizard,” Naomi replied with a nod and then turned to h
er little beast. “Go to Abel and wait with him. If he runs into any trouble, you come back to me.”
The lizard flicked its tongue and scurried down the hall toward the catacombs.
“I hope that works,” the lizard mage murmured.
“I’m sure it will,” Alyona reassured her. “Messenger magic is a pure form of your magic, a physical representation of your power. It abides by your desires.”
“Amazing,” Vallen sighed. “Hopefully, your worries are for naught, and we can catch these bandits before it’s too late.”
“For sure,” I agreed. “Do you have that map of the city handy? We can narrow down some options for where to look.”
“Yes, of course,” he said with a nod as he walked over to the cabinet and unrolled the parchment.
Vallen laid out the map on the table, and Nike and I stood on either side of him as we peered over the area.
“Here’s the market,” I said as I gestured toward the large opening. “I don’t think they could hide in the open very easily, but there are several shops near it.”
“Many of the stores have storage areas they don’t touch for days,” Naomi pointed out. “Those could make a good hiding place.”
“Okay, let’s start a list of where we should check,” I suggested.
Alyona reached into her spatial storage and pulled out a small leather-bound book and a quill. Then she scribbled the shops Naomi pointed to on the map.
“What about in the houses?” Polina asked.
“If anyone is gone or has moved,” Trina agreed.
“Or even if they took it by force.” Marina frowned at her own suggestion.
“That opens up another thousand possibilities,” Vallen groaned. “Do you think we’ll need to search each of them?”
“I’m not sure yet,” I admitted. “We may need more of your warriors to cover the most ground.”
“What’s this?” Nike pointed to a large triangle on the eastern end of the map near the city wall.
“It’s a watchtower,” Vallen replied. “We have at least one guard in there all the time since it is tall enough to see over everything.”
“Interesting,” I murmured. “I wonder if--”
Suddenly, Naomi’s lizard galloped into the room and opened its mouth.
